DESCRIPTION
The program is approved by the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia (CRNBC) and is accredited by the Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN).
The purpose of the program is to educate nurses to work with individuals, families, groups and communities from a health promotion perspective and with an ethic of caring.
The program will assist students to develop sensitivity to people's experiences with health and healing. Students will learn to work as partners with clients and with other health care providers. Through their understanding of and participation in the changing health care system, graduates will be active participants in creating health for all.
Students complete eight (8) academic semesters and five (5) consolidated practice experiences to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. Graduates will be eligible to apply to write national examinations to obtain registration to practice as Registered Nurses in British Columbia. Access to degree completion by Registered Nurses is outlined separately.
The curriculum of the BSN Program is based on the concepts of caring and health promotion and has been developed in consultation with nursing practitioners, theorists, professional associations, and various government ministries. The program includes non-nursing courses that complement nursing theory and practice. The curriculum considers the changing health care needs of our society. Caring is understood as the attitude and activity of nursing and is considered in every nursing course.
A health promotion perspective has been used to organize the curriculum. This shift in focus from illness to health represents a deliberative move away from a medical model to an understanding of nurses' work as focusing on people and their experiences with health and healing. Inherent in this orientation is the use of teaching methodologies which encourage the development of critical thinking, and the discovery of personal meaning and personal power.
There is an emphasis on practice experiences as the foundation of nursing theory and the recognition that nurses' work requires thoughtful, reflective action as defined by the concept of praxis. To assist in actualizing the concept of praxis, nursing practice experiences have been integrated throughout the program of studies. The concept of praxis is used to guide students to critically reflect on their practice and on their application of nursing knowledge and clinical judgment within the practice setting.
Students who enrol in the program have access to an on-line student manual which provides information regarding program policies. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with University and nursing program policies.
Students in the program must maintain a cumulative GPA of 65% with no grade lower than 60% in all required courses, including electives.
Nursing Practice Experiences
Nursing practice experiences are essential in the nursing program. Students will be directly involved with clients in their homes and in institutional and community settings in each semester. These experiences may involve evenings and weekends. Practice experiences occur throughout the Lower Mainland. Students are responsible for their own transportation and other expenses incurred as part of these experiences.
Students will be required to maintain student membership with the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia (CRNBC) throughout the program.
Some agencies may require students to take an Oath of Confidentiality, have a criminal record search, or have a successful interview with their personnel prior to their agreement to accept the student. Failure to have documentation acceptable to the agency at the time of placement may result in denial of the experience, which in turn may prevent completion of the program of studies.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Graduates of the program will be prepared to function as team members in non-specialized/specialized acute care, intermediate and/or long term care hospitals, clinics, home care agencies, and community health agencies.
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
Important Notice for Applicants:
Students are encouraged to complete the non-nursing courses prior to admission or during the semester in which they are scheduled. The workload of the program makes it difficult to take these courses at any other time.
Year One Admission Requirements
Applications for September 2009 will be accepted during November 1–7, 2008 only. Applications for January 2010 will be accepted during March 1–7, 2009 only.
In addition to meeting Kwantlen's general admission requirements, applicants
to the Nursing Program must submit official proof of having met the following
academic requirements by the third Friday of November 2008 for September 2009,
and the third Friday of March 2009 for January 2010.
Applicants currently in high school must submit an official interim transcript
by the third Friday of November for September and the third Friday of March
for January, indicating that the program academic admission requirements will
be completed by the end of June.
Mathematics requirement
Principles of Mathematics 11 with a grade of C or equivalent
Science requirement
Biology 12 and Chemistry 11 with a grade of C+ or equivalent, or BIOL 1110 with a grade of C or equivalent
English requirement
English 12 with a grade of B or equivalent, or ENGL 1100 level with a grade of C or equivalent
Selection of Qualified Applicants
The number of applicants to the Nursing Program far exceeds the number of available seats. As a result, the Nursing Program will admit qualified applicants through a computer generated random selection and a point system. Variable points will be awarded for:
- geographical location
- relevant education (e.g. completion of non-nursing courses required in the program)
- persistent application to the program
For further details regarding the selection process, please contact Enrolment and Registrar Services.
To accept and secure a seat in the program, applicants must pay a non-refundable deposit up to one year prior to the start of classes.
Additional Requirements
Upon provisional acceptance to the program, additional admission requirements need to be completed prior to receiving final acceptance. These include:
- Standard First Aid and CPR Level C courses which are current at the time of entering the program. CPR certification must be current throughout the program and may be required annually by some practice agencies. (All costs and associated updates are the responsibility of the student)
- Immunizations consistent with the requirements of practice agencies. (All costs are the responsibility of the student)
- An acceptable Criminal Record Search completed within six months prior to enrolling in the program. The College of the Registered Nurses of British Columbia requires a criminal record search prior to registration as a nurse and a criminal record search may also be a pre-practice requirement of some of the clinical agencies used during the program (All costs related to having this search done are the responsibility of the student).
- An interview and/or letters of reference may be required
CONTENT
Semester 1: Personal Meaning of Health
The first semester of the program focuses on people's personal experience with health. Students explore their own experiences of health and healing. They begin to learn about the complexities of nurses' work through observing and interacting with nurses in various areas of practice.
Students visit a resource family in order to acknowledge and understand other people's experiences of health and healing. Biology and English courses are offered concurrently with the nursing courses.
Semester 2: Chronic Health Challenges
The second semester focuses on people's experience of living with a chronic health challenge which might include a chronic physical condition, or an experience such as poverty. Students obtain nursing practice experience on Rehabilitation and Medical units in an institutional setting. In addition, students visit a family living with a chronic health challenge. Biology and English courses are offered concurrently with the nursing courses.
- BIOL 1260 Anatomy and Physiology II
- ENGL 1202 Reading and Writing about Selected Topics: An Intro. to Literature (or any first year university transfer English course)
- NRSG 1210 Health 2: Facilitating Health and Healing in Families
- NRSG 1231 Self and Others 2: Creating Health Promoting Relationships
- NRSG 1241 Nursing Practice 2
Following completion of Semester 2, students have a six-week long practice experience which enables consolidation and integration of the concepts and skills learned in the first year of study. Experiences are on a Medical or Rehabilitation unit.
Semester 3: Episodic Health Challenges
Students continue to develop a health promotion perspective with people experiencing challenges around healing. Students work with a generative family and with a family experiencing an episodic health challenge.
Nursing practice experiences also involve placements on acute Medical and Surgical units.
Semester 4: Complex Episodic Health Challenges
In the fourth semester, students continue to visit their generative family, and also work with a family with a complex episodic health challenge. Nursing practice experiences also involve placements on Medical and Surgical units. Students further develop their repertoire of cognitive, interpersonal, organizational, and practice skills to promote healing. Pattern recognition, critical decision-making, and increased self-directness are emphasized. Students are also provided with the opportunity to understand factors that affect work life and the impact of this on a nurse.
- NRSG 2211 Healing Workshop 2: Complex Episodic Health Challenges
- NRSG 2220 Professional Growth 2: The Nursing Profession
- NRSG 2241 Nursing Practice 4
- NRSG 2260 Health Science 4: Pathophysiology 2
The five-week practice experience which follows Semester 4 enables consolidation and integration of the concepts and skills learned in the first and second years of study. Practice experiences will occur in Medical/ Surgical and Obstetrical settings.
Semester 5: Prevention
In the fifth semester, students work as members of the health care team and begin to use leadership skills. They work in a variety of agencies focusing on issues of prevention. Acute care nursing practice experiences take place in Pediatric and Mental Health settings. Students also work with groups and families, focusing on prevention strategies. The health course provides opportunities for students to consider health education from a primary, secondary and tertiary prevention perspective.
Semester 6: Health Promotion and Community Empowerment
Semester 6 focuses on health promotion and community empowerment using the concept of “community as client." Nursing practice placements are with health related community groups or organizations. Students in this semester also explore the processes of nursing inquiry and research as a foundation for evidence-based practice.
- NRSG 3211 Health 4: Health Promotion and Community Empowerment
- NRSG 3220 Professional Growth 4: Research
- NRSG 3225 Professional Growth 3: Nursing Inquiry
- NRSG 3231 Self and Others 3: Reflection on Caring Practice
- NRSG 3241 Nursing Practice 6
Consolidated Practice Experiences 3 and 4 occur in the academic semester following Semester 6. These experiences are each five weeks long with CPE 3 focusing on practice in acute care and CPE 4 involving experiences in community agencies.
Semester 7: Societal Health
Semester 7 focuses on societal health and nurses influencing change. This semester explores ways nurses can influence and create their future as professionals within the health care system. Nursing practice placements are in a wide variety of community organizations.
- NRSG 4111 Health/Professional Growth: Influencing Change
- NRSG 4120 Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis
- NRSG 4141 Nursing Practice 7
- Elective
Semester 8: Transitions
Semester 8 provides students with opportunities to enrich their overall program of study. The theme for this semester is Transitions, that is, making the change from student to practitioner. Students refine previous learning and develop proficiency in an area of practice. The eight week nursing practice experience involves working full time directly with a registered nurse.
Consolidated Practice Experience 5 follows NRSG 4241, Nursing Practice 8. This five-week experience is designed to prepare students for practice as a Registered Nurse.
GRADUATION
Upon successful completion of this program, students will receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.